MISSIMATI SUMMER STUFFED TOMATOES

Vibrant flavors are easily seduced from our most southern place on earth Mississippi summer soils to waltz on your plate and palate. Sweet and subtly acidic tomatoes from Woodson Ridge Farms tango off with sweet home Alabama’s Southern Belle goat cheese, while a fragrant Missimati absorbs the charm of Tallahatchie county cultivated peas, basil, and rosemary—all chaperoned by scallions and balsamic vinegar from afar. What a ball…

INGREDIENTS

8 medium to large firm and ripe Southern summer tomatoes of choice

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp very fine balsamic vinegar

½ cup olive oil, divided

1 cup ecogrown Missimati Bayou Bouquet Fragrant White Rice

1 tbsp garlic, minced

½ tbsp salt

¼ tsp ground white pepper

Pinch of ground cayenne pepper

3/4 cup of favored summer peas

1 large sweet onion, chopped

1 bunch scallions, chopped

½ packed fresh chopped basil

1 ear sweet corn

1 tbsp fresh finely cut rosemary

4 ounces very fine goat cheese (recommend Alabama’s Fromagerie Belle Chevre)

METHOD

     Gently vertically cut 2/3’s of each tomato’s core to near bottom. With core still in tomato, slice diagonally across the top of stem and core, reserving top. Remove core with spoon, careful to leave bottom skin intact. Place removed cores in small sauté pan, add 1 tbsp olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and sugar, and cook until softened. Mash with backside of spoon or otherwise, and set aside to cool. Invert cored tomatoes on cookie sheet to drain.

In medium covered pan, simmer 1 tbsp olive oil, rice, and 2 cups water to slightly beyond al dente under tight fitting lid (about 18 minutes). Stir with fork and set aside to cool.

Heat oven broiler. Rub corn ear with 1 tbsp olive oil. Place corn on baking sheet, under broiler, and rotate until slightly charred. Remove to cool, and slice kernels off cob.

Cook peas in water (or chicken broth, if not vegan) until tender (10 minutes). Remove, drain, cool.

In large sauté pan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil and add garlic, chopped sweet onions, white pepper, cayenne, and rosemary. Simmer and stir until onions translucent. Add basil and scallions, and stir until basil wilted. Add the mashed stewed tomatoes and blend well, and remove from heat before thoroughly heated.

Heat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix together the near room temperature rice, broiled cut corn, peas, sautéed onions with tomatoes, and remaining oil. Add goat cheese, and blend well. Very lightly salt the cored tomatoes, stuff with rice mixture, and cap with reserved tomato tops. Place on lightly oiled baking sheet; bake for 30 minutes, or until tomato skins lightly wrinkle and/or char. Remove and serve warm, or at room temperature for maximum flavor. Enjoy!